Veterans For Peace Reacts to President Obama Receiving Nobel Peace Prize: "Something is wrong with this picture"

As a Navy Hospital Corpsman serving during the Vietnam war, I've seen what happens to people at the receiving end of bombs. For two years I took care of hundreds of wounded and dying soldiers coming back from Vietnam and Cambodia. Sadly, President Obama continues to rely onviolence to carry out foreign policy. Obama has moved from the 'go it alone' approach of the Bush administration and he pledges to reduce nuclear weapons. All that is good, but not enough -- not even close. In a sane world, he would have to do far better to deserve even a nomination for this prestigious award.

Others have been nominated, sometimes more than once, like Kathy Kelly, coordinator of Voices in the Wilderness. This Chicago-based group organized over 70 citizen delegations to Iraq to report how sanctions were affecting people in that country during the 1990's. In addition, Kelly twice led delegations that literally camped out in the way of the U.S. invasions of Iraq in 1991 and 2003.

These are the kinds of people who have taken huge risks for peace over many years and continue doing so. They have shown by their actions, not just words, we are inspired to look within ourselves and find the best of our natures, with hopes that will change how we live. President Obama has the ability to turn away from violence and the two longest wars in our history. He says he wants to. Actually doing so is the sort of thing for which Nobel Peace Prizes should be reserved.